Improved railway car-coupling



gian/a' @gianni i @titre DAVID DOLMAGE WRIGHT, OF OAKVILLE, ONTARIO,CANADA.` .13mm Parent No. 89,544, camz April 27, 1869.

The Schedule i'eferred to in these Letters Patent and making parti ofthe same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID-DOLMAGE WRIGHT, M. D., of Oakville, Haltoncounty, Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gar- Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings of the same, making part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a horizontal section ofthe draw head of the car-coupling and the coupling-link, the severalparts being in the position when the link is coupled; I

Figure 2 represents s. similar section, the several parts being in theposition they occupy just previous to effecting the coupling;

Figure 3 represents a vertical transverse section of the draw-head,through the line a; :u of iig. 1, the parts occupying the position shownin iig. l;

. Figure 4 represents a similar section. the parts occupying theposition shown in iig. 2;

Figure 5 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the draw-head,the several parts occupying the positions shown in iig 2; and

Figure 6 represents a view in perspective of the hinged supportinggate,in the position it occupies when the link is coupled, and showing moreparticularly the stops for limiting the motion of said supporting-gate.

In the accompanying drawings- A represents the upper and lower bars ofthe drawhead, united .at the front by the usual dat or bellshapedend-plate, c r mouth B, through an opening,

B2, in which passes the coupling-link C.

These bars are also united a suitable distance from their front ends bya block, D, forming the deadwood against which the coupling-link actswhile being coupled. t

The coupling-pin E passes through openings F in the bars A, and confines-the link in or releases it from the draw-head, in coupling anduncoupling the cars.'

These parts are of the usual construction.

My improvements relate to a certain combination of devices forsustaining the coupling-pin, so that the coupling` may be automaticallyeffected for limiting the motion of the supporting swinging-gate, forattaching the said gate toithe draw-head, and in the construction of theupper cross-bar with a thimble or guide,gfor sustaining the pin in theact of coupling.

The supporting-devices consist of a gate, G, se-

cured to the draw-head by means of a vertical bolt,

IL airanged'in a line transversely with the openings F, for thecoupling-bolt E, and outside of the parallel bars of the draw-head.,

Thehinge H of thegate G, therefore, does not pass through the draw-head,but is secured to an upper and a' lower cross-bar, I I', placedtransversely above and beneath the bars A of the said draw-head.v

These cross-bars I I' project beyond the sides of the draw-head adistance suicient to form the hinge of the gate, outside of the range ofmotion of the coupling-link.

'Th ese transverse bars I I', therefore, form the supports for the hingeof the gate, and are secured in position by being clampedto thedraw-head by the boltsH, on either side.

The' gate is, therefore, hinged in a vertical position, and is ofaheight to allow it to swing vbetween the parallel bars A ofthe'draw-head, so as not to interfere with the coupling-link, and restsupon the lower bar. It is also of 'alength suticient to extend from itshinge over the opening F, through which the coupling-bolt .E passes.

lhe lower cross-bar'Iis made with a depression, a, into which the lowerbar of the draw-head its, but the projecting ends oisaid cross-bar arenearly on a level with the topo(` the lower horizontal bar A, so thatwhilesaid projecting ends form the 'attachmentE for the gate, the latterdoes not rest thereon, but upon the draw-head, so that its weight,together with that of the coupling-bolt, will keep it from being jarredout of position when set to effect the coupling.

lhis is an important feature, and adds greatly to the successfuloperation of the swinging-gate.

. The projecting ends of this cross-bar I are also constructed with twoshoulders b c, between which the end of the bar is of circular form,concentric with the axis of the hinge of the gate. y s

The hinged end of the gate is made with a rib, or arm,-cl, so arrangedas to project below the bottom of said gate, and between the shoulders bc of the crossarm I; and the limitof the motion of the gate is governedby these projections.

' The outer shoulder b permits the gate to swing just so far, and tooccupy a position directly over and underthe openings in the draw-head,as not to interfere with the descent of the pin in the act of coupling,the inner one, c, allowing the gate to swing out of the way of thecoupling-link, but not entirely around. Thus these projections, togetherwith the Weight of the gate, maintain the latterin its position, whetherclosed or open.

The upper cross-bar I is constructed witha neck, or socket, J, whichsurrounds the opening 'through which the coupling-bolt passes, and formsa guide to maintain the bolt in a vertical position, and prevent it fromleaning whilst resting upon the gate, which would render its descentuncertain, as is the case with couplings of this character now in use.AAnd toprevent the bolt from binding in this guide, or socket, it is'made slightly larger in diameter than the opening in the draw-head, asshown in the drawings.

Both ends of the projecting cross-bars are alike, in order that Athegate may be adjusted either to one side or the other, or admitting oftwo gates, if required'.

This Construction enables the gate to be attached to any draw-head nowin use. The cross-bars thus constructed also allow the gate to bereadily attached to any coupling-head now in use, without taking oft'the draw-head, or making any alteration Whatever. This is a veryimportant advantage in rendering its adaptation economical, simple, andsecure.

That portion of the topof the gate upon which the bolt rests is providedwith a slight depression, or it may be ribbed or rasped, as well as theend ofthe bolt, in order that the latter may bite thereon, thus formingan additional security against the jarring of the gate from beneath thebolt.

I am aware that a plate has been pivoted beneath vthe upper bar of thedraw-head, to sustain the coupling-bolt in the position to effectthecoupling, and having an arm dependingr therefrom in a position to bestruck and turned aside by the insertion of the coupling-link, but thisarrangement has many disadvantages. The pivot of the plate is liable tobe broken oli' or twisted, and the arm is also liable to be broken oiorbent when struck suddenly and with force by the coupling-link. Moreover,the plate is liable to bind against the under side of the bar, to whichitis secured by a pivot, and the slightest tight Work- `ing of suehplate would be fatal to its proper operav tion, while the swinging-gateof my invention, being hinged by a bolt passing through it from top tobottom, outside of the draw-head, forms a sure and effectual support forthe coupling-pin when in position to couple, and nnerring in itscapacity to move out of' the way, whether the coupling-link strikes witha sudden, severe blow, or pushes it aside by simple Contact therewith,there being no danger whatever ofthe binding of the gate in its swing inor out.

Having thus described my improvements,

I claim- 1. The clamping cross-bars I I', arranged in eonnece tion withthe draw-head in such manner as to sustain the coupling-pin E and thesolid swinging-gate G, and admit of the attachment of these parts to theopensided draw-head, substantially as described.

2. The swinging-gate G and cross-bar l, constructed with stops b c (l,operating substantially as described.

D. D. VRIGHT, M. D.

Witnesses:

T. H. UPPERMAN, A. E. H, JOHNSON.

